During the operation of each machine, the deformation and stress state of its supporting structure is directly related to the load. The load intensity ranges from the minimum to the maximum value and is a function of nominal force, torque, and kinematic-dynamic values of moving and executive assemblies during the machine operation process. The intensity of deformations is also a function of the shape and type of the supporting structure. However, although the supporting structure is reliable, which refers to its integrity, the production of a quality workpiece (product) does not have to be reliable. Therefore, it is important that the deformation states of the supporting structure be in the appropriate tolerance field, regardless of the intensity of the load. If the intensity of deformations is outside a certain field, it will directly affect the quality of the workpiece that is made on the subject machine. It is known that load-bearing structures can be of open and closed types, load-bearing structures of closed type are used for higher loads and larger workpiece dimensions. By installing sensors on the elements of the supporting structure with accompanying measuring chains in real-time, the deformation state of certain elements or places on the supporting structure can be monitored, based on which the reliable quality of the workpiece can be influenced.

The paper presents a PyDigitizer application designed to extract numerical coordinates of existing curves from image format. The application is created in the Python programming language and offers the possibility of manual extraction of curve coordinates, intersection of curves with user-specified abscissa or ordinate, generation of polynomial regression equations of curves. All generated information (coordinates, intersection points, regression curves) can be exported to Microsoft Excel. Also, point coordinates of Excel curves can be loaded into PyDigitizer to obtain polynomial regression curves or intersections.

Introduction: The paper aims to research how the Covid-19 infection affects BPH patients, whether their PSA, prostate volume, residual urine, and quality of life have changed. Additionally, to examine whether any of these variables are a predictive factor for acute urinary retention (AUR). Methodology: The study comprised 80 patients with clinical manifestations of LUTS, an aggravation of previously diagnosed BPH, and who recovered from COVID-19. IPSS, QoL, PSA, prostate volume, and postmicturition residual urine were studied before and after COVID-19. Results: The IPSS score, PSA, prostate volume, and residual urine were signicantly higher after recovering from COVID-19. Additionally, greater IPSS-QoL scores were discovered. Nine patients (mostly older than 60) suffered acute retention during or after the COVID-19 infection. Residual urine was found to be a signicant predictor of AUR. Conclusion: COVID-19 infection is caused by aggravating LUTS symptoms associated with BPH. Consequently, the increase postmicturition residual urine can be considered a predictive factor for the occurrence of AUR

The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic potential of resveratrol in combination with cisplatin on the inhibition of tumour angiogenesis, growth, and macrophage polarization in mice bearing the solid form of an Ehrlich ascites tumour (EAT) that were exposed to whole-body hyperthermia treatment. In addition, we investigated whether a multimodal approach with hyperthermia and resveratrol could abolish cisplatin resistance in tumour cells through the modulation of histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity and levels of heat shock proteins (HSP70/HSP90) and contribute to the direct toxicity of cisplatin on tumour cells. The tumour was induced by injecting 1 × 106 EAT cells subcutaneously (sc) into the thighs of Balb/c mice. The mice were treated with resveratrol per os for five consecutive days beginning on day 2 after tumour injection and/or by injecting cisplatin intraperitoneally (ip) at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg on days 10 and 12 and at a dose of 5 mg/kg on day 15. Immediately thereafter, the mice were exposed to systemic hyperthermia for 15 min at a temperature of 41 °C. The obtained results showed that the administration of resveratrol did not significantly contribute to the antitumour effect of cisplatin and hyperthermia, but it partially contributed to the immunomodulatory effect and to the reduction of cisplatin toxicity and to a slight increase in animal survival. This treatment schedule did not affect microvessel density, but it inhibited tumour growth and modulated macrophage polarization to the M1 phenotype. Furthermore, it abolished the resistance of tumour cells to cisplatin by modulating HDAC activity and the concentration of HSP70 and HSP90 chaperones, contributing to the increased lifespan of mice. However, the precise mechanism of the interaction between resveratrol, cisplatin, and hyperthermia needs to be investigated further.

The main goal of the paper is to examine comprehension of basic emotion and facial expression of children with hearing impairment. The research encompasses a sample of 66 respondents out of which 33 have non-damaged hearing and the remaining 33 respondents have hearing impairment. The age of respondents ranges, in chronological order, from 7 to 15 years. Recognition of emotions and facial expressions is being examined through 4 sets of tasks. The Emotion Recognition Test (ERT) is being used for evaluation, it has been adapted for the purpose of this paper and thereby adjusted for electronic usage via computer and internet. Through statistical processing of given data, following components have been calculated: minimal and maximum values, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test, Mann-Whitney U test, curvature test and flattening of distribution curve, t-test. Research results concluded that hearing impairment in children affects, with statistical significance, recognition and comprehension of facial expressions and emotions compared to their peers with no hearing impairment. The results were expected given the hearing condition and the consequences which hearing impairment creates. Children with hearing impairment possess poor vocabulary which affects comprehension of emotions. Statistically significant difference occurs among children with hearing impairments and recognition and comprehension of facial expression and emotions within situational context and isolated facial expressions.Key words: deaf children, comprehension of emotions, emotions of the deaf, facial expressions, hearing impairments.

The aim of this paper is to highlight the importance of a multidimensional approach to the contextual assessment of learning abilities in students with cerebral palsy. The paper presents a case study of a nine-year-old student with multiple developmental disabilities (cerebral palsy and additional influencing difficulties) attending a regular primary school with an individual educational program (IEP). In order to determine the measures for individualizing the educational process for the student, the assessment of internal conditions and learning abilities was conducted individually within a daily rehabilitation center, while the environmental conditions were observed within the school setting. The evaluation of the assessment results emphasized the significance of conducting assessments in all relevant contexts, as it was the only way to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the student's level of functioning and the necessary measures for improving her learning and participation.Key words: multidimensional assessment, learning abilities, cerebral palsy

Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don., immortelle, is a plant species used in ethnomedicine and the food industry as a spice added to food, beverages, and bakery products. It has been shown to possess various biological activities, such as antioxidant and antibacterial activity, making it useful as a natural preservative. We investigated the phytochemical profile and biological activity of H. italicum essential oils from wild-grown plant material collected from natural habitats in the Republic of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Using high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM), a visual investigation of plant organs (stem, leaf, and flower) was performed, confirming the presence of essential oil reservoirs on the surface of all examined plant organs. Essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation in the Clevenger apparatus. The chemical composition of the essential oils was determined using the GC-MS analytical technique. Cytotoxic activity tests were performed in vitro on three cell lines: skin (fibroblast), lung, and breast cancer. Using statistical tools, the synergistic and selective effects of H. italicum essential oil on healthy and tumor cells were correlated to chemical composition and cytotoxic activity. The synergistic and antagonistic effects of H. italicum essential oil’s individual components were simulated by testing pure compounds and their mixture of cytotoxic activity on fibroblasts and breast cancer cells. The results confirm that essential oil’s biological activity is much greater than the sum of the effects of its components. The present data are novel contributions to the body of knowledge on the biological activity of this species used in the food industry.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive malignancy characterized by rapid proliferation, early dissemination, acquired therapy resistance, and poor prognosis. Early diagnosis of SCLC is crucial since most patients present with advanced/metastatic disease, limiting the potential for curative treatment. While SCLC exhibits initial responsiveness to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, treatment resistance commonly emerges, leading to a five-year overall survival rate of up to 10%. New effective biomarkers, early detection, and advancements in therapeutic strategies are crucial for improving survival rates and reducing the impact of this devastating disease. This review aims to comprehensively summarize current knowledge on diagnostic options, well-known and emerging biomarkers, and SCLC treatment strategies and discuss future perspectives on this aggressive malignancy.

OP-145 and SAAP-148, two 24-mer antimicrobial peptides derived from human cathelicidin LL-37, exhibit killing efficacy against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria at comparable peptide concentrations. However, when it comes to the killing activity against Escherichia coli, the extent of membrane permeabilization does not align with the observed bactericidal activity. This is the case in living bacteria as well as in model membranes mimicking the E. coli cytoplasmic membrane (CM). In order to understand the killing activity of both peptides on a molecular basis, here we studied their mode of action, employing a combination of microbiological and biophysical techniques including differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), zeta potential measurements, and spectroscopic analyses. Various membrane dyes were utilized to monitor the impact of the peptides on bacterial and model membranes. Our findings unveiled distinct binding patterns of the peptides to the bacterial surface and differential permeabilization of the E. coli CM, depending on the smooth or rough/deep-rough lipopolysaccharide (LPS) phenotypes of E. coli strains. Interestingly, the antimicrobial activity and membrane depolarization were not significantly different in the different LPS phenotypes investigated, suggesting a general mechanism that is independent of LPS. Although the peptides exhibited limited permeabilization of E. coli membranes, DSC studies conducted on a mixture of synthetic phosphatidylglycerol/phosphatidylethanolamine/cardiolipin, which mimics the CM of Gram-negative bacteria, clearly demonstrated disruption of lipid chain packing. From these experiments, we conclude that depolarization of the CM and alterations in lipid packing plays a crucial role in the peptides’ bactericidal activity.

Player performance in an intense sport such as basketball is known to be related to attributes such as speed, agility, and power. This study presents a comparative analysis of associations between anthropometric assessment and physical performance in different age groups of elite youth basketball players, while simultaneously identifying the predictors for speed and agility in these players. U14 (n = 44), U15 (n = 45), and U16 (n = 51) players were tested for anthropometry, lower-body power, speed, and agility. U16 players were found to be taller, heavier, more muscular than U14 and U15 players. In addition, the U16 group showed better performance in all performance tests. Age had a significant positive correlation with countermovement (CMJ) and drop jump (DJ) performance in U14 players, and a significant negative correlation with 15m and 20m sprint times in the U15 group. CMJ and DJ emerged as the most significant predictors for sprint and agility variables, respectively. Body fat percentage was found to be a significant predictor for the speed and agility tests in all age groups, but a negative lower-body power predictor. Therefore, besides all sport-specific and fitness tests, it is essential to place emphasis on the percentage of body fat when designing players’ individualized training programs, and during team selection.

The complexity of orchestrating Beyond 5G services, such as vehicular, demands novel approaches to remove limitations of existing techniques, as these might cause a large delay in orchestration operations, and thus, negatively impact the service performance. For instance, the human-in-the-loop approach is slow and prone to errors, and closed loop control using rule-based algorithms is difficult to design, as an abundant number of parameters need to be configured. Applying Artificial Intelligence (Al)/Machine Learning (ML), in combination with Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and Software Defined Networking (SDN), seems a promising solution for enabling automation and intelligence that will optimize orchestration operations. In this article, we study the challenges in current ETSI NFV orchestration solutions for B5G C-V2X edge services; propose an Al/ML-based closed-loop orchestration framework; propose how and which Al/ML techniques can alleviate the identified challenges and what are the implications resulting from applying certain Al/ML techniques; and discuss A//ML-based system enablers for B5G C-V2X services.

The goal of our research is improvement of mathematics curriculum and popularization of mathematics among students of economics in developing countries. We analyze and compare curricula of pure mathematics courses that are taught to university students of faculties of economics in Japan and in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Data set contains math syllabuses in 2021/22 school year from six public universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and seven from Japan. The text corpus was pre-processed and then the Term Frequency – Inverse Document Frequency algorithm, and Sentence Transformed Multi QA model were applied to build word vectors, find the similarity among Japanese and Bosnia and Herzegovina mathematics syllabuses using cosine similarity approach, and to find the key competences of these two countries mathematics syllabuses using the word cloud. Our results show the following similarity between the curricula: 60.7 percent using TF-IDF and 80.3 percent using Multi QA model. The key competences in the Japanese mathematics course are narrow and focused, in contrast to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s.